Portable nursery chair



Gd 3Q, 1951 W, 5 LA BAW 2,5?3JQ4 PORTABLE NURSERY CHAIR Filed Dec. 26, 1945 Inventor 'JTLAFAW,

Patented Oct. 30, 1951 UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,573,104 PORTABLE NURSERY CHAIR William I. La Baw, Kansas City, Mo.

Application December 26, 1945, Serial No. 637,158

The present invention relates to toilet apparatus of the type knoWn as nursery or toilet chairs, and aims to provide an improved and more efficient as well as a folding form of construction for this purpose.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention is to devise an improved, compact and neat- 1y folding type of toilet or nursery chair in which an enclosing case or container member is combined with a collapsible chair structure adapted to be folded into said case or container member, in an attractive and portable form.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a portable construction of this character in which the enclosing case or container is adapted to provide an enclosure for both the folding toilet chair and also a toilet or nursery pan, and in which also the folding parts of the toilet chair structure (when folded or collapsed) serve to form at least part of the closure structure for the appliance in its completely folded or collapsed condition.

Further features of the improved construction consist in providing not only an efficient collapsible or folding arrangement of the parts, but also a neat and efficient arrangement of concealed fastening means whereby the parts are retained in a neat and attractive collapsed and portable relation without any projecting or exposed latching or securing elements.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating practical and suitable forms of embodiment of the improved construction, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a folding nursery chair structure forming part of the improved construction. the same being illustrated as in open or operative position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the enclosure case or container member of the appliance;

Figure 3 is also a perspective view, showing the parts assembled in their collapsed and portable relation; and

Figure 4 is a modified form of the folding nursery or toilet chair assembly, having the hinged closure panel connected therewith instead of being attached to the enclosure case or container member.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, this illustrates the improved construc- 4 Claims. (01. -31) tion as comprising a folding toilet or nursery chair assembly (represented complete in Figure 1) and an enclosure case or box-shaped container member 5 for receiving said chair assembly and supporting the same both when in use and also when folded or collapsed into portable form, as represented in Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, the collapsible chair structure comprises a toilet seat 1 of conventional form and provided with hinge brackets 8 at its rear corners. These brackets 8 provide hinge pivots ill for pivotally mounting a combination back and closure panel it, which is thus adapted to be swung into either upright position when in its position for use (as illustrated in Figure 1), or down flatwise upon the seat I to serve as a closure element, as represented in Figure 3. Each of the corners of the back panel l2 (opposite its hinged corners) is notched or recessed (as indicated at M) to accommodate the rear ends of arm rests l6 which are pivoted at I 8 to the panel l2, while near their other ends said arms are connected by suitable links 20 and pivot pins 22 to the sides of the seat member 1. Thus, when the chair is opened up for use, the said links 20 assume an upright position for supporting the arms l6 in operative position, but are adapted to allow said arms and the back panel 12 to be swung forwardly into folded or collapsed position, as shown in Figure 3.

The enclosure case or container member is designed to be of a size sufliciently large to accommodate the chair and seat structure in either inoperative position or opened up for use, said chair and seat structure being supported upon cleat elements 24 or the like, which are located so as to support the chair seat 1 over the usual shallow nursery pan member 26 (see Figure 2). The box or container member 5 is also provided (in the construction shown in Figures 2 and 3) with a combination leg supporting and closure panel member 30 which is connected by means of hinge elements 32 to the upper front margin of said box or container member 5. By means of this construction, said panel member 30 is adapted to serve as a leg rest when in the open position shown in Figure 2, and also as a closure leaf element, being of a length adapted to fit between the arm rests l6, and also of a width suflicient to form, in combination with the back panel element I2, a complete closure for the case or box member 5, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3.

The parts of the construction forming the improved appliance are designed to be retained in their completely folded and collapsed relation for portable use by means of a plurality of suitably placed snap fastenings 34, adapted for retaining engagement between corresponding edges of the panels 12 and 3!], and also between the arm rests I6 and the inner faces of the side walls of the enclosure case or box member 5, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

To facilitate the operation of the combination leg rest and closure panel 30 in opening and closing the same, the outer face of the panel may be provided with a block forming a hand grip 35; and similarly, the box .or case may also be equipped with a conventional handle element 38, as shown in Figure 3.

It will thus be apparent that a very practical and efiicient arrangement and construction have been devised for embodying the proposed features of improvement. It will be understood that the seat portion '5 of the chair structure is supported continuously upon the cleat elements 24 except when necessary to remove or replace the vessel 26; and that the chair structure may be readily and conveniently opened up or folded or collapsed as required for use of the same or for completely enclosing the seat portion 7 of the device as Well as the vessel 26 within the box or case section 5. In such completely folded relation, important advantages are obtained by virtue of the fact that the back panel l2 (including the arm rest elements it) and the leg rest panel 39 combine to provide a complete closure structure for concealing the remaining parts of the appliance; and the snap fasteners are so located as to be completely hidden from view while serving to retain the structure in its completely collapsed and portable form.

In Figure 4 is illustrated a slightly modified form of the construction, which consists in providing the hinge connection between the leg rest panel as and the front edge margin of the seat portion 7, as indicated at 32', instead of the box or case member 5--the said panel 30 nevertheless retaining its double functional character as a combination closure element and leg rest member in either form of the construction.

Thus while a most practical and serviceable type of construction has been illustrated and described, in the foregoing, for embodying the proposed features of improvement, comprising said invention, it is desired to expressly reserve the right to make whatever changes or modifications may fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable nursery chair construction comprising, a seat member, a back rest hinged to the rear margin of said seat member, a supporting base comprising a casing member open at its top and adapted to cooperate with said back rest to enclose said seat member, said casing member having interior supporting means in engagement with the margins of said seat mem- .fonthe top of said casing member.

2..Ajportable nursery chair construction comprising, a seat member, a back rest hinged to the rear margin of said seat member, a supporting base comprising a casing member open :at'its top and adapted to cooperate with said back rest to enclose said seat member, said casing member having interior supporting means in engagement with the margins of said seat member, said back rest being adapted to fold over on to the outer face of said seat member to form a partial closure for the top of said casing member, and a leg rest hingedly connected with the front margin of said seat member and adapted to be swung into position for cooperating with the folded back rest to form a complete closure for the top of said casing member.

3. A portable nursery chair construction comprising, a seat member, a back rest hinged to the rear'margin of said seat member, arm rests pivotally connected with the opposite ends of said back rest'and also connected by pivotal links with the opposite ends of the seat member, a supporting base comprising a casing member open at its top for receiving said seat member and said back and said arm rests, said back rest being adapted to fold over on to the outer face of said seat member to form a partial closure for 'the top of said casing member, a leg rest adapted to provide a leg rest at the front'margin of said seat member and movable into position to cooperate withthe folded back rest and said arm rests to form a complete closure for the top of said casing member, and fastening elements carried'by said arm rests and the interior of said casing -member for latching the arm rests to said casing member.

-4. A portable nursery chair construction as specified in-claim 1, in which fastening means are-carried by margins of said back rest and said leg rest in position for latching the same in closure relation.

Y WILLIAM I. LA BAW.

. REFERENCES CITED Tbetfo11owing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

